2023 Ballot Propositions
We are recommending the following votes on Texas Ballot Propositions on the November 7, 2023 election.
Click or tap the title to expand the full description.
Prop 2 = Yes
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing a local option exemption from ad valorem taxation by a county or municipality for all or part of the appraised value of real property used to operate a child -care facility.
Recommend: Yes
Why:
- The Texas childcare shortage is having devastating effects on early childhood education, economic growth and employment opportunities for parents.
- The Texas economy loses more than 9 Million every year due to inadequate childcare.
- This bill helps exempt child-care facilities for property taxation.
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 64
Prop 5 = Yes
Summary: A constitutional amendment relating to the Texas University Fund, which provides funding to certain institutions of higher education to achieve national prominence as a major research university and drive the state economy.
Recommend: Yes
Why:
- Helps boost support Texas Universities grow into top research institutions.
- Help attract finest minds from across the country.
- Draw innovative businesses that depend on research and the jobs they create.
- Help build a strong local economy.
- This will use rainy-day funds to boost our public universities.
Texas Bill Reference: HJR 3
Prop 6 = Yes
Summary: This is a constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state.
Recommendation: Yes
Why:
- This will support water systems that have been stretched due to explosive population growth and drought.
- We need to invest in the infrastructure of our water systems across the state. Texas set aside $1 Billion dollars to go towards fixing the pipes and securing water resources.
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 75
Prop 8 = Yes
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment creating the broadband infrastructure to fund to expand high-speed broadband access and assist in the financing of connectivity projects.
Recommendation: Yes
Why:
- We need to expand broadband internet across Texas.
- Internet access is a must have utility in this day and age and we need all Texans to have access.
- This bill compliments Federal funds from the Biden administration toward the expansion of broadband.
Texas Bill Reference: HRJ 125
Prop 9 = Yes
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the 88th legislature to prove a cost-of-living adjustment to certain annuitants (retiree, surviving spouse or beneficiary) for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
Recommendation: Yes
Why:
- Retired teachers have not had a cost of living increase on their retirement pension since 2004.
- Having a good retirement plan will help retain Texas teachers and help them stay competitive.
Texas Bill Reference:
Prop 11 = Yes
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the authority of the legislature to permit conservation and reclamation districts in El Paso County to issue bonds supported by ad valorem taxes to fund the development and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities.
Recommendation: Yes
Why:
- It’s important to support economic growth in West Texas and this amendment allows El Paso County to issue bonds required for the development and maintenance of recreational facilities that will support economic growth.
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 32
Prop 14 = Yes
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the centennial parks conservation fund.
Recommendation: Yes
Why:
- Texans love their parks
- It establishes a trust fund for managing Texas Park properties outside of the State Treasury. A purported billion dollars.
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 74
Prop 1 = No
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment protecting the right to engage in farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture, and wildlife management.
Recommendation: No
Why:
- Local governments cannot add additional regulations that would constrain operations, only rules on a state-wide level.
- This amendment is made for special interest industries with the intent of pulling away zoning control in favor of business interests.
- This is another amendment that takes away local control and government in favor of Big Industry, Big Ag, and Lobbyists.
- It lumps farming, ranching, timber production, horticulture and wildlife management operations together in the same legislation when we all know that these areas are very different from one another.
- The truth is no legislator wants to go on the record for voting against “the right to farm” but in reality this amendment protects special interests by pushing control to the state level at the expense of our rural communities.
Texas Bill Reference: HJR 126
Prop 3 = No
Summary: This constitutional amendment prohibits the imposition of an individual net worth or wealth Tax.
Recommendation: No
Why:
- This bill makes it harder to have a more equitable tax system in the future.
- A state income tax was already prohibited by a constitutional amendment in 2019.
- This bill does not guarantee that the tax burden does not harm low-income and middle-income Texans by shifting a tax burden onto them.
Texas Bill Reference: HJR 132
Prop 4 = No
Summary: The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to establish a temporary limit on the maximum appraised value of real property other than a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes; to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district applicable to residence homesteads from $40,000 to $100,000; to adjust the amount of the limitation on school district ad valorem taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of the elderly or disabled to reflect increases in certain exemption amounts; to except certain appropriations to pay for ad valorem tax relief from the constitutional limitation on the rate of growth of appropriations; and to authorize the legislature to provide for a four-year term for a member of the board of directors of certain appraisal districts.
Recommendation: No
Why:
- This only applies to homesteads, not businesses or rental properties
- There will only be a temporary 20% cap in properties valued under $5 Million for businesses and non-homestead properties.
- County appraisal boards will go from being appointed to at least 3 members elected.
- $7.1 Billion will be sent back to Texas schools so they can lower the taxes on property owners through a lower M&O (Maintenance and operations tax) However public schools will not see an additional penny. It just replaces the money they lose when they compress the tax rate.
- It is not clear how this will be handled in a year when we do not have a record surplus.
- This isn’t a fair or long term tax relief. They are just pushing the ball down the hill for the next legislative session.
Texas Bill Reference:HRJ Special Session 2
Prop 7 = No
Summary: Providing for the creation of a Texas energy fund to support the construction, maintenance and modernization and operation of electric generating facilities.
Recommendation: No
Why:
- This amendment will provide billions of dollars in low-interest loans to support the development of new methane gas power plants.
- It is subsidizing new gas power plants
- Why should Texans subsidize the building of gas power plants that could cost up tot $18 Billion in taxpayer funds.
- Will this ensure that gas power plants don’t hike rates for Texans?
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 93
Prop 10 = No
Summary: Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of equipment or inventory held by a manufacturer of a medical or biomedical products to protect the Texas healthcare network and strengthen our medical supply chain.
Recommendation: No
Why:
- Medical manufacturers will get property tax relief and cost school districts $43 Million in 2024 and 60 Million in 2028 in funds. These lost funds will not be recouped and more Texas families will have to cover the gap.
- So medical manufacturers will get a tax break, public schools won’t get funded and you will have to pay the difference as taxpayers.
Texas Bill Reference: SJR 87
Prop 12 = No Opinion
Summary: Provides for the abolition of the office of county treasurer in Galveston County
Recommendation:No opinion. It’s really up to those in Galveston
Why:
- Ask someone who lives in Galveston how they feel about this issue and why.
Texas Bill Reference: HJR 132
Prop 13 = No Opinion
Summary: Proposing a constitutional amendment to increase the mandatory age fo retirement for state justices and judges
Recommendation: No opinion
Why:
- Current state law requires judges and justices to retire at age 75.
- There is no winning here, if you want them to retire you will be seen as an ageist and if you want them to stay in office forever, well you will have a situation that we are seeing in real time in Congress currently.
Texas Bill Reference: HJR 107
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